Josh Kursell Is a Cobra

Josh Kursell, baseball people say, has “loose, whippy arms.” His loose, whippy right arm helps him strike out batters whenever he’s on the mound. But what truly drives Josh is that his deep love for baseball is rooted in an even greater passion for Jesus Christ. Now, his passion has paid off. Josh has accepted an offer from the Parkland College Cobras to play college baseball. 

“I’m not a big city person,” Josh said. “Parkland is close to home, so that is definitely a plus for me and my family. They have a strong EMT and fire science program, which aligns with what I want to do with my life. Parkland also has a much better baseball program than the other colleges I was considering.” 

Josh’s baseball journey began at the young age of four, pitching in the front yard with his dad. Like many kids, he dreamed of taking his baseball skills to the big leagues. Now that he is older, he understands the hard work and determination it takes to achieve his goals. “There are so many leagues and processes that you’ve got to go through, and you’ve got to work really hard,” he said. “Growing up and enjoying the game when you’re young definitely makes you want to keep going.”

This passion carried him through one of his toughest challenges — a strained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). “It was aching all the time,” Josh recalled. “I couldn’t sleep without my elbow aching. It took about eight months for me to get fully back to where I was.” The hardest part wasn’t just the physical recovery from his injury. It was overcoming the “mental blockade” of trusting his arm again after UCL rehab.

Josh’s determination has carried him into stardom. This past spring, he ranked in the top 10 in Illinois for strikeouts. He led his conference and got named to the all-area team. To go even father, he now uses BSF Pitching Performance in Chicago to plan his training schedule, prepare for upcoming games, and ration his sugarless Monster energy drinks.

Josh trains 18 to 20 hours a week, including stretching and doing mobility work, throwing weighted plyo balls, practicing his pitches, and lifting weights. He trains at the dinner table too. He told us that he eats “a lot of protein, a lot of carbs. I try to stay away from any sugar possible. Cutting out sugar is a big thing for me.” He jokingly adds that energy drinks boost his daily motivation for school and training. “Lots of energy drinks get me through the day,” he said. Indeed, anyone who knows Josh can confirm his unofficial Monster sponsorship.

In pursuing baseball, Josh has developed more than just athletic skills and whippy arms. He has learned how to discipline himself, lead others, and be humble. “I definitely think it has helped me in many ways,” he said. “Learning how to meet and talk to people, learning how to be a good opponent, and learning how to be kinder to the people around me have all been important life skills.” He believes that these lessons have applications beyond the baseball field, saying, “It’s about knowing what I have to do and getting it done. If I can’t believe in myself enough to get it done, nobody else is going to do it for me.”

For Josh, baseball is more than just a sport, and it’s more than just believing in yourself. For Josh, baseball is a way to glorify God. He said, “In the end, God is more important than the game.” Josh leads team prayer before each game and is known as a spiritual leader among his teammates. He told us that “I’ve helped a few of them get through some questions and situations that they’ve had.” His faith also shapes how he sees the world. He said that “living your life in a faith-based way opens up plenty of doors to leading others to Christ.” Faith impacts everything Josh does, from how he speaks to others to how he handles challenges.

Looking ahead, Josh is hoping to play baseball right up to the professional level. “It just depends on how I develop,” he said. If baseball doesn’t work out, his second option is just as purpose-driven — becoming a firefighter. Being a firefighter, he said, would put him in a position “to be an emotional help to people and to save them from death.” His faith would help fight fires too: “Just being able to see all the chaos and know that there’s a God who’s in control.” Even if the professional baseball path does not pan out, he still plans to play baseball for fun. “I’ll probably play baseball in like a ‘beer league’ or something,” he said. 

Whether he’s striking out batters or encouraging his teammates, Josh Kursell continues to live out his faith through baseball. His journey reflects more than just a dedication to his sport, but also a testimony of using his talents for a higher purpose. Wherever life leads him, whether on the baseball field or serving others as a firefighter, Josh is determined to keep glorifying God through his work and life. He is a Cobra for Christ.

—Eiralys Unzicker, class of ’27